BVB coach sees liability
© Imago
Niko Kovac wants to remain coach of Borussia Dortmund regardless of cutting off the Bundesliga in the coming season. “My goal was to arrive here at Borussia Dortmund, to flap the ship again and then to deliver very good work in the medium and gladly in the long term. Nothing has changed,” said Kovac, who does not see himself as a firefighter, with a view to his contract that runs until 2026.
The 53-year-old has been unbeaten with BVB for four Bundesliga games. The deficit to the longed-for Champions League starting area before the 31st matchday at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday (3:30 p.m./”Sky”) has now melted on four points. Born in Berlin, he was now 16 times on the sidelines and comes to a point cut of 1.69. Predicts Nuri Şahin came to 1.48 pps in 27 games.
But Kovac does not want to deal with the royal class qualification. “At the moment we are going very well with the approach: Let’s win the next game! The team accelerates. If you see what we can physically afford and sometimes also football, then we already have very good moments in our game.”
The team has been showing “a clear upward tendency” since the end of March, said the former Croatian international, who has been working BVB coach since February. “We work every day for us to continue.” Kovac said: “Every coach who is stopped in the course of the season usually has to solve any problems. The fact that we have concluded a contract for a year and a half shows a certain liability. A shorter term was not an option on either side.”
Clear rules apply to the ex-professional: “As a trainer, I am responsible and have to decide: If you do not call up your performance, you have it more difficult for me. And the other way around: If you do a good job, I will send it back to the square. Otherwise I will also undermine the principle of performance.”
BVB: Chukwuemeka for the time being back to FC Chelsea
The midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka borrowed from London cannot (yet) plan Kovac (yet) for the new season. BVB will not be able to pull a purchase option valid for the 21-year-old Englishman. “He currently has a contract with us until June 30 of this year. Lars Ricken and Sebastian Kehl take care of everything else,” said the coach. “Carney will first return to Chelsea. What happens then is still in the stars. The fact that he has qualities and that I like that he likes it, that’s very clear. But Chelsea is intelligent enough to design the procedure so that they will benefit profit from it.”
In principle, he could not yet think about his ideas for the future squad. “It will make a big difference financially whether we are still qualifying for the Champions League and whether we are going far at the club World Cup. The transfer carousel will only get in motion afterwards.”